Michael Pandya covers a wide range of recipes, so that almost anyone interested in learning how to become an Indian chef would be able to find favorites, and create well-balanced meals. Although not comprehensive, the book is very practical. It introduces the reader to a multitude of spices and teaches how to prepare everyting from scratch. The northern cooking is not well represented (which is by no means an impediment to the book), so the readers who are interested in milder flavors can complement this book by "Himalayan Mountain Cookery", by Martha Ballentine (Publisher: Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science & Philosophy of the USA).